Tag Archives: blogging

“In just a few short weeks, librarians will head to Chicago for ALA’s Annual Conference. This event includes a full line-up of ALSC programs, including the President’s Program & Newbery-Caldecott-Wilder Awards Banquet, hundreds of exhibits to explore, and much more. We’d love it if you would consider being a live blogger!

If YOU are heading to the Conference in June, consider sharing your experiences on the ALSC Blog so everyone—especially those #leftbehind—can have a feel for what the conference is like.

Sound interesting? Contact Mary Voors, ALSC Blog manager, at alscblog@gmail.com, for all the information you need to volunteer as a live blogger from the conference.

According to edSurge’s recent article, “digital storytelling uses video, audio, social media, blogging and other tools to convey ideas and information effectively. The emphasis is on empowering students to create authentic products that they can share with others beyond the classroom walls, and to allow for audience interaction and feedback.” A long definition but Digital Storytelling can be as simple as having students create a video poem or photo montage as a visual interpretation of an existing poem being studied by the class.

From English to Science, in the article they give some practical subject-specific ideas for digital storytelling. But why should we have students be digital storytellers? There are many reasons like improved writing and critical thinking, but these projects can also have impact, develop digital citizens, or even be used in student’s digital portfolios.

A recent post by Jasmine Garsd of NPR (National Public Radio) highlights Small Town USA – finally! Live From Small Town America: Teachers Who Blog To Stay In Touch is about how educators from small towns stay connected to each other. Katie Morrow, a technology integration specialist and middle-school English teacher, expresses one of the frustrations many small town educators face: a sense of isolation.

When Morrow became and Apple Distinguished Educator, she had the opportunity to meet with other educators from around the world. The experience sparked a desire to show off the achievements of her school, recognizing that small town schools don’t receive as much attention. Like many other rural educators, she started a blog.

Sarah Hagan, another small town educator-blogger, says, “most of the blogs I read are either people teaching in the suburbs or teaching in the inner city.” Small town schools often have different problems and circumstances than other schools. This is where blogging comes in handy – small town educators can meet on the blogosphere to vent, discuss, and problem-solve. Finding others that share their struggle helps them to realize they’re not alone.

Recently, Edutopia published Blogging for English-Language Learners, a post by Rusul Alrubail about how blogging can have a positive effect on students who are learning the English language. After highlighting the benefits, Alrubail provides tips on how to start blogging in these environments – for students and classrooms. She also provides some links to other resources for getting started. She stresses that, before having students blog, the instructor should explain the benefits. “This will inform how they learn through it,” she explains. “When students understand the benefits of the process, they become engaged and active in their own learning.”

Image by AJC1. Retrieved from Flickr. Used under Creative Commons’ licensing.

If you are registered in the 23 Mobile Things program, Thing 1 involves setting up a new blog, or refreshing an old blog! Whether you are new to blogging or you wonder how much you really know about blogging, the Free Technology for Teachers site offers a short guide to blogging terminology. For instance, do you understand the use of a permalink? Check it out here ; perfect your blogging skills to rockstar status!